The musical headliner and the host committee for the 5th annual ComplexCon has been announced, with this year’s two-day experience in Long Beach enlisting the uniquely complementary creativity of fashion innovator Kristen Noel Crawley and Jose artist J Balvin. Headlining the festivities is ASAP Rocky, whose set will be preceded by the acclaimed hardcore band Turnstile, fresh off the release of the group’s Glow On album.
Rocky’s performance will see the celebrated Harlem multi-hyphenate celebrating the 10-year anniversary of his Live. Love. ASAP mixtape.
Both Crawley and Balvin will be ensuring their own stamp is present on this year’s edition of the groundbreaking festival by way of surprising personal touches, exclusive collab drops, and more. The two committee members were chosen due to their respective embodiments of the values and essence of ComplexCon, namely their inclusive worldviews and their work toward inspiring future generations.
“After almost two years of living digitally, we knew that the return to ComplexCon was going to be the first opportunity for our community to come back together and it had to be special,” Neil Wright, Head of Experiential at Complex Networks, said. “We’re excited to bring together a diverse mix of familiar names and faces from all over the world for the first time in a long time, but also allow room for discovery in a safe and curated environment.”
For Balvin, the opportunity to serve as both a host committee member and an ambassador for ComplexCon is an honor.
“I’m honored to be on the host committee and ambassador for the 2021 ComplexCon. It’s always amazing to see so many different elements of the culture come together in one place,” he explained. “I’m excited to create a mini Medellin within ComplexCon that will host many different exclusive collaborations and teleport attendees to my beloved hometown. By taking people to where I’m from, I want to continue to empower Latin people and our culture. I can’t wait to see everyone there and I’m so thankful that we can do so safely this year. Lego!”
Crawley, meanwhile, is “thrilled” to be a part of the ever-expanding ComplexCon experience while also bringing fans a new KNC product launch and exclusive collab drop.
“I’m thrilled to announce my involvement as part of this year’s host committee for Complexcon, while also bringing a new KNC product launch and exclusive collab drop to the festival,” she said. “The convention has always served as an amazing platform for KNC Beauty, and I could not be more excited to assume a larger role in creating and curating a diversified platform for upcoming and emerging designers and brands. It’s an honor to be the second female to have ever served on the committee as well as the first woman of color.”
The ComplexCon 2021 floor will boast the respective presences of adidas, BBC, Atmos, KNC Beauty, Crocs, Market, Pleasures, Bricks & Wood, Champion, Topps, and more. Additional brands, moderated discussions, food collabs, and other experiential facets will be announced in the coming weeks.
This year’s two-day festival and exhibition—which sees the implementation of new policies and procedures due to the pandemic—takes place in Long Beach Nov. 6-7. VIP and general admission tickets are available via the ComplexCon site. The $500 VIP ticket is good for the weekend and boasts perks like early entry and exclusive merch, while a single-day general admission ticket runs $80 and a two-day package is $135, plus fees.
